Now more than ever, healthcare professionals are putting themselves on the frontline while fighting for lives during this pandemic.
Sadly, while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, a dedicated and passionate Ozarka-trained nurse lost her own battle to this horrible disease.
Deborah Gay Person, an Ozarka College Mountain View Nursing alum, passed away on Dec. 20, 2020.
“Deb was an LPN that served her patients with the compassion and love that they deserved. She referred to them as ‘My People’ and gave her all to their care and asked for nothing in return,” said her husband, Brian.
Deb was truly an amazing person in life, and it is her family’s hope that her passion for nursing will endure which is why Ozarka has set up a memorial fund in her name, the school said in a release.
The Deborah Person Memorial Nursing Scholarship Fund will support future nursing students attending Ozarka College – Mountain View. Priority will be given to someone starting a second career just as Person began her nursing career at the age of 50.
Consideration will also be given to a student that has worked continuously as a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) for a minimum of one and a half years. Lastly, Person’s family extends this scholarship support to single mothers seeking to obtain a degree in nursing in order to enter the workforce and provide for their family.
“It is clear the impact that Deb left on those around her — her loved ones, her patients, and the nursing community,” said Dr. Josh Wilson, Ozarka College vice president of Advancement. “What better way to continue Deb’s legacy than to support Ozarka’s future nurses by establishing this scholarship in her name.”
The deadline to apply for scholarships for the 2021-22 academic year is April 1, 2021. For help applying for scholarships, please call the Ozarka College Financial Aid office at (870) 368-2009 or email: finaid@ozarka.edu.
Those interested in supporting the Deborah Person Memorial Scholarship, contact Suellen Davidson with the Ozarka College Foundation at (870) 368-2059 or email: sdavidson@ozarka.edu.
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